Motor-cycle.



0.692342. Patented Feb." ll, I902. I

E. S. STRICKLAND. MOTOR GYGLE. (Apphcahon filed Oct 1, 1901 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

112mm d'wz'hSiSlzrickland.

(No Model.)

Wfinesss:

ruz annals PETERS no, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASNlNGYON n. c.

Patented Feb. H, I902.

E. S. STRICKLAND.

MOTOR .cvcLg, 7 (Application filed Oct. 1, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Shea 2.

No Model.)

fiwelzfol E a 11/1}: Sink/ land in Motor-Cycles, of which the following is a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWVIN S. STRIOKLAND, OF BOUNDBROOK, NEW JERSEY.

MOTO R-CYC LE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,942, dated February 11, 1902.

Application filed October 1 1901'. Serial No. 77,234. (No model.)

To (0Z5 whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN S. STRICKLAND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the town of Boundbrook, in the county of Somerset and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements specification.

My invention particularly relates to that class of motor-bicycles in which the motive power is an explosive-engine; and its principal feature of improvement is the use of twin motors adjacently and detachably mounted dependent from the lower central portion of the cycle-frame and inclosing a common driving-gear. This construction by lowering the center of gravity below the level of the hubs insures a maximum stability and by dividing the driving effort produces a series of impulses of double frequency and half force as compared with the usual type of single motor, thus giving evenness of application of power and avoiding the racking of the frame and parts. Otherfeaturesofstructuraladvantage are the assembly of the motor-gear,the powertransmission shaft,- the cycle-gear, and electrode and exhaust shaft in a common casing and the independence of the motors from the gearing, so that they are readily detachable, and their removaldoes not affect the cycle connections. Other features of advantage become apparent from the following description of the improvement as illustrated in the drawings, in which similar reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures.

Figure 1 shows a view in elevation of the left side of a motor-bicycle embodying my improvements in their preferred form. Fig. 2 showsa horizontal section through the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section through thegear-casin g, slightly to the left of its median plane. Fig. 4 shows a horizontal section through the gear-casing on the plane of the pedal-shaft. Fig. 5 shows the crankshaft and connections when detached.

In the figures, l is a casing divided into co mpartments containing the gasolene-reservoir, lubricating-reservoir, battery, and spark-coil. (Not shown.)

2 is the pedal-shaft, extending through the lower central portion of the cycle-frame and provided with the usual crank and pedal at either side and havinga sprocket 3 on the left, with a suitable chain'e, driving the sprocket 5, attached to a usual form of coaster-brake 6, placed in the hub of the rear wheel, as customarily arranged. On the opposite or right side of the wheel there is a second sprocket 7 of approximately the same diameter as sprocket 5, driven by a chain connection from the sprocket 8 on a sleeve 9, driven by the cycle driving-gear 10. The cycle driving-gear 1O meshes with the motor driving-gear 11, which also meshes with the gear 12 on the shaft 13, carrying the valve-cams 14 and electrode-cams 15.

The motors are preferably of the two cycle type and use the crank-case 17 of each as a gas-supply chamber for the cylinders 18, each crank-case and its cylinder forming unitary structures which are adj acently mounted and have their cranks attached to their common driving-shaft 19 at a relative angle of one hundred and eighty degrees. The cylinders 18 are connected at their forward ends by the passages 20, extending from the combustionchambers and uniting in a common bend 21, containing the exhaust 22-. The passages 20 form pockets for the valves 23, having stems 24, with rollers 25 on their ends, running on the cams 14 The cycle driving-sleeve 9 is journaled in the bushings 26 in the cycle-frame, directly above the motor driving-gear 11, with which it meshes. The pedal-shaft 2 extends through the sleeve 9 and is journaled therein. It is obvious that the pedal-shaft maybe journaled outside the casing of the cycle driving-gear 10,either where the lower member of the cycleframe from the steering-head joins the said casing or where the member of the frame from the hub of the driving-wheel joins the said casing. Dotted circles a (1 represent the alternative locations referred to, the rearward location permitting the use of a driving-gear of increased diameter. The said gear 10, mounted on the sleevev 9, is connected thereto by the radial spring-arms 27, fastened in and extending from slots in the sleeve 9 to recesses in the rim of gear-wheel10,which approximates two and one-half times the diameter of the motor driving-gear 11. The arms 27 serve as a flexible medium between the ICO motor driving-gear and the driven cycle-gear, the latter being held in lateral position between a fixed collar 28 and a detachable collar 29 and concentric with the sleeve 9 by the hub 30, which is cut away at different points to permit of the flexing of the springs 27, such flexing tending to relieve the drivingwheel of the cycle of any sudden or excessive strain when power is applied by the motor. The top of the motor-gear casing is planed, permitting it to be bolted to the corresponding planed surface of the cycle-gearcasing, thus permitting the detachment of the motor and driving mechanism. The under side of the motor-gear casing is similarly planed and bolted to a cap 16, inclosing the electrode and cam shaft, so that ready inspection of the ignition device is possible. The whole driving mechanism and gears are thus inclosed in a single casing.

3lisalatch which may be thrown up against the extension on the collar on the valve-shaft 24:, and so relieve the motors from compression by holding the exhaust-valves open.

32 is a gas-supply passage to the crank-case with a reduction-valve 33 seated therein, having the spring-cap 3%. The gas-supply passage 32 extends to any usual source of vaporsupply, such connection not being shown. The electrical circuit between the combustionchamber, the electrode-shaft, battery, and

spark-coil may be in any suitable manner.

By my improved location of the motor the drop-frame type of cycle may be used-*a feature of great advantage in starting, as its use enables an unskilled rider to mount without difficulty, the riders weight applied to the pedal in mounting overcoming the compression of the motor.

It is obvious that a single-cylinder-either two-cycle or four-cycleengine may be used to some advantage by discarding either of the cylinders shown in the drawings and substituting a fly-wheel in a suitable casing in place of the crank-shaft of the discarded cylinder; but this is not an ideal construction, inasmuch as the dimensions of a single-cylinder motor would necessarily be increased to obtain power equal that of a double-cylinder two-cycle, and the additional weight of a fly wheel would make the arrangement heavier and more cumbersome, while the advantage of having a practically constant driving effect on the cycle or vehicle shaft would be entirely lost.

In brief, the operation is as follows: If it is desired to ride the machine as an ordinary bicycle, the motors and their casing are de tached. If it be desired to ride the machine with the motors in position, but out of service, the latch 31 is so set as to relieve the cylinders from compression, and so permit of riding without the difficulty of overcoming the resistance of the motors. If it be desired to use the machine as a motor-cycle, then the rider by pedaling starts the driving-wheel through the intervention of the coaster-brake. The revolution of the driving-wheel sets the motors in operation through the intervention of the sprocket-and-chain connections to the cycle-gear 10 and thence to the driving-gear 11 of the motors in the usual manner. The initial impulse needed to start the motors will be but half that necessary for a cycle of equal power due to the division of the motive power and consequent division of resistance to be overcome. This feature makes start ing easy, and by the use of the drop-frame construction mounting from the pedal is so facilitated that the motors may be set in operation by the mere application of the riders weight to the pedal in mounting.

Having thus described myinvention,\vl1atI desire to claim is 1. In a motor-cycle, the combination of a frame having its lower central portion adapted to receive an inclosed driving-gear, and an explosive-motor also having an inclosed driving-gear with means for joining together the corresponding inclosure or casin g of said mo-' tor and cycle gear, as set forth.

2. In a motor-cycle, the combination of a frame having its lower central portion adapt ed to receive an inclosed driving-gear and a double-cylinder explosive-motor having an inclosed gear between the cranks,with means for joining together the corresponding gearcasings of the motor and cycle, as set forth.

3. In a motor-cycle, the combination of an explosive-motor having an inclosed drivinggear,a frame having an inclosed cycle drivinggear, and a suitable flexible medium between the rim and shaft or hub of said cycle drivinggear, with means of transmitting the power from said shaft or hub to the driving-wheel of the cycle or vehicle, as set forth.

4. In a motor-cycle, the combination of an explosive-motor, having an inclosed drivinggear,a frame having an inclosed cycle driving gear and one or more flexible spring-arms between the rim and shaft or hub of said cyclegear with means of transmitting the power from said shaft or hub to the driving-wheel of the cycle or vehicle.-

5. In a motor-cycle, the combination of a double-cylinder two-cycle explosive-motor having an inclosed driving-gear mounted between the cranks, a frame having an inclosed cycle driving-gear mounted therein and one or more flexible spring-arms between the rim and sleeve or hub of said cycle driving-gear, with means of transmitting power from said inclosed sleeveor hub to the driving-wheel of the cycle orvehicle, as set forth.

. 6. In a motor-cycle, the combination of an explosivemotor having an inclosed drivinggear, a frame also having an inclosed cycle driving-gear in the central lower portion thereof, with a pedal-shaft extending through and journaled in the sleeve of said inclosed cycle driving-gear, or journaled in the side of the casing of said cycle driving-gear, with suit able chain or gear connections from the pedalshaft to the driving-wheel of the cycle or vehicle.

7. In a motor-cycle, the combination of a double-cylinder two-cycle explosive-motor, having crank case supply chambers, the cranks set at one hundred and eighty degrees, with a gear between said cranks, said gear being inclosed and meshing with acycle driv-- ing-gear journaled in a casing at the central lower portion of the frame, with a sleeve or shaft extending from within the casing to a sprocket and suitable connections to the driving-wheel of the cycle or vehicle.

8. In a motor-cycle, the combination of a drop-frame, a casing rigidly secured to the lower central portion of said frame and inclosing a cycle driving-gear meshing with a motor driving gear inclosed between the cranks of a pair of explosive-motors that are adjacently mounted, said gear-casing being extended to inclose a cam and electrode shaft, and means of'transmitting power from the inclosed driving-gears to the driving-wheel of. the cycle, as set forth.

9. In a motor-cycle, the combination .of a double-cylinder two-cycle explosive-motor with its crank-case gas-supply chambers detachably fixed to and forming a continua tion of a cycle-gear casing integral with and dependent from the lower central portion of the cycle-frame, a train of driving-gears contained in said casings and means for trans-" mitting the driving effect of such train to the driven wheel of the cycle.

10. In a motor-cycle, the combination of a frame, having its lower central portion adapt ed to unite with a sectional casing, said cas ing, a train of gears inclosed therein, said casing being adapted to unite separably with a pair of forwardly-projecting motor-cylinders having pistons common to said cylinders and to crank-case supply-chambers integral with said'casing, said pistons driving a common shaft in turn driving said gear train, and means for transmitting the power efiect of said gear-train to the driven wheel of said cycle. 11. In a motor-cycle, the combination of a drop-frame, a three-part sectional casing rigidly secured as to its upper section to the lower central portion of. said frame, a cycle driving-gear inclosed in said section and mesh ing with a motor driving-gear inclosed in the central section of said casing, a pair of eitplosive-motor cylinders adjacently fixed to the front of said central casing, and an electric ignition device inclosed in the lower section of said casing, the said sections being separably joined, with means for transmitting motive power from the said cycle driv ing-gear to the driven wheel of said cycle;

EDWIN S. STRIOKLAND. Witnesses:

SEWARD DAVIS, OLIVER WILLIAMS. 

